Historical Collection

The Haviland-Heidgerd Historical Collection is the non-circulating research section of the Elting Memorial Library. Considered the best genealogical and local history collection in the Mid-Hudson Valley, it is a repository for primary source material and published works relating to the Hudson Valley. Its strongest focus is on the town and village of New Paltz.

House & Building Books: Extensive collection of materials relating to the history and architecture of the houses, farms and commercial buildings within the Town of New Paltz.

Newspapers: New Paltz newspapers (1860-forward) on microfilm.

Periodicals, magazines, newsletters and yearbooks: Published periodicals from several genealogical & historical societies; Locally published magazines; Newsletters from many organizations and civic groups; Yearbooks from the New Paltz Central School District, The New Paltz Normal School, The College at New Paltz and SUNY New Paltz.

Photographs, Slides, & Postcards: Thousands of images dating from the late 19th century of residential, commercial, educational, religious and institutional buildings. Also, portraiture and family snapshots, community gatherings, recreation, transportation, the Hudson and Wallkill Rivers, the Mohonk and Minnewaska Mountain Houses, and the Catskill Aqueduct.

Miscellaneous genealogical information: Biographical information on approximately 2,000 New York State families.

Special Collections: Account books, invoices, and business ledgers from the Minnewaska Hotels; The Pine Funeral Home Records, Civil War letters, deeds, diaries, Family papers, Records of local clubs and organizations.

Krupp Map:
Working with Carol Johnson and Margaret Stanne from the Haviland-Heidgerd Historical Collection, Gregory Krupp, a student intern for SUNY New Paltz’s Geography Department, mapped the land of the original patent and its early divisions. These divisions were made by the members of the Duzine, the twelve men, who governed our early township. Krupp was able to identify old boundary and plot lines combining today’s technology with old deeds, maps, town records, and stone walls, some of which were built with slave labor. All this land was not surveyed until 2017, 340 years after the patent. Online access to the Krupp Map is available at http://arcg.is/aueia.

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Elting Memorial Library
93 Main Street
New Paltz, New York
(845) 255 - 5030Email the Library